Christian World Ministry
"..the churches of Christ salute you" Romans 16:16
☰
Christian World Ministry "..the churches of Christ salute you" Romans 16:16
Introduction
A. Preachers, evangelists and bible
teachers, to be success in winning souls for Christ, must learn how to deal
with excuses.
1. From Jesus' three-year earthly
ministry, along with His disciples (later with the 12 apostles) we, too, must
learn how He dealt with the excuses of people in not following Him
2. As excuses affect man's eternal
destiny in the next (after) life, we have to know the truth about this subject
as Jesus affirmed in John 8:32
B. How shall we discuss this subject? What
shall be our approach?
1. See the meanings (definitions) of
excuses/ alibis. Are they valid or not?
2. What are the kinds/ examples of
excuses? How did the Lord deal with them?
3. What is our obligation today in
dealing with similar situations?
Discussion
A. Meanings/ Definitions of Excuses (Alibis)
1. They are rationalizations made about
people, events or circumstances
2. Or invented reasons created to defend
behavior and action
3. Main purpose: postpone an action; a
delaying tactic; a means of neglecting responsibility, as did King Agrippa with
Paul, Acts 26:28
4. They are given as explanations for
not following the command, request or challenge for the moment
5. An excuse is given to defend one's
honor, dignity, title, profession or position
B. Kinds/ Examples of Excuses and how the Lord
dealt with them
1. " I will follow you wherever you
go, Rabbi," Matthew 8:19
a. statement of loyalty and
determination
b. not really an excuse but an
expression of commitment
c. Jesus replied " foxes
have holes; birds have nests but the Son of Man has no place to lay His
head," Matthew 8:20
d. Christ's answer meant that in "
following Him, one should not expect physical comfort.!"
e. in John 16:33, He said, " in
this world, you will have tribulations...."
2. " Lord, let me go and bury my
father," Matthew 8:21
a. the Jewish Bible said that the
father was not yet dead; but that he wanted to take care of him in his old age.
b. Jewish custom of burial needed much
preparation and rituals
c. Jesus said, " Let the dead bury
their own dead," should read " let the spiritually dead bury their
physically dead relatives." Matthew 8:22)
d. Heartless? No, for Jesus' earthly
ministry was only 3 years (hence limited, short lived).
e. He and His disciples should be able
to preach to the " lost sheep of Israel," in that limited time, Luke
9:20
3.1 " Let me go back and say
goodbye to my family," Luke 9:61
a. a would- be- disciple has to choose
between his earthly family and Jesus (spiritual family)
b. But Jesus' earthly relatives are
" those who do the will of the Father," Matthew 12:50
c. Jesus replied, " no one who
puts his hand on the plow and looks back is fit for the service in God's
kingdom," Luke 9:62
d. as goodbyes are sentimental
and time consuming, they would hinder or delay one's desire to follow Jesus
e. literally, one who plows and looks
back will not be able to finish the work
f. thus, God's service is more
important than duty to earthly family
g. statistics now: 3 babies born/second
and 1 person dies/second
Nota Buena: Modern Excuses
a. not yet ready to become a Christian
b. look back to friends and relatives
c. in my old religion, requirements are
not too strict
d. where I was born, there will I die
3.2 Jesus never forced or begged people
to follow Him
a. his conditions were absolute and
demanding
b. he was not soft or compromising to
those who would follow Him
e. the rich young ruler was told to
" sell all your possessions; give them to the poor; then come and follow
me," Matthew 19:21; Luke 12:33
C. Now, every Christian, not only preachers,
evangelists and bible teachers, must be soul winners today
1. Christ's earthly ministry was over
in three years, 30-33 A.D.
2. He was strict in "
recruiting" His disciples for when He called them, immediately, they left
their earthly pursuits, e.g. Simon, Andrew, James, John and Matthew
3. He did not promise them " earthly
comforts or rewards" for He said " deny yourself and take up your
cross," Matthew 16:24
4. Instead, He promised them " the
crown of life to the faithful," Revelation 2:10
5. Today, this " ministry of
reconciliation" is given to all the saints, 2 Corinthians 5:18; Matthew
28:19-20
6. Acts 8:1, 4 (the persecuted
Christians left Jerusalem and preached the gospel in Judaea, Samaria and other
parts of the world)
7. Soul winners are wise, Proverbs
11:30; Daniel 12:3; I Corinthians 9:21-22 and James 5:20
Conclusion
A. Summary of the Main Points
1. Meaning/ definitions of Excuses
2. Kinds/ examples of Excuses
3. Our obligation as Soul Winners today
B. We also have excuses today for not
sharing the gospel of Christ
1. Invitation to become Christians and
not to make excuses
2. Christ may return
"anytime" and death is unexpected, Hebrews 9:27
3. Come to Jesus for " now is the
Day of Salvation," 2 Corinthians 6:2
4. Jesus now invites everyone to "
come to Him," Matthew 11:28-30